The present invention relates to a mounting and guiding device for adjustable vehicle seats, of the type comprising a frame for the seat base, a pair of fixed guides, which are formed by profiled sheet metal elements fixed to lower parts of the walls on the inside of the vehicle so as to extend substantially horizontally and parallel to each other longitudinally of the vehicle, a pair of movable guides which are formed by profiled sheet metal elements each slidably connected to one of the fixed guides, and support means which connect the movable guides with overlying side members of the base frame, in which at least one of the fixed guides includes a fixed longitudinal rack with a longitudinal array of positioning slots, and the corresponding movable guide includes a hand-operated movable latch which is selectively engageable and disengageable with the slots and is resiliently biassed toward an engagement position for longitudinal positioning of the movable guides and the seat.
Guides for adjustable vehicle seats, particularly the front seats of motor vehicles, are normally secured to the floor of the interior or cab. Guides which are arranged in this way have the disadvantage that their size restricts space beneath the seat which could otherwise be put to better use in stowing articles for transport. A further drawback lies in the fact that articles stowed under the seat may be cut or scratched by contact with the guides.
In many vehicles, and automobiles in particular, that part of the floor to which the seat is fitted (especially the front seats of automobiles) is formed by the bottom of a `channel` which is flanked by low vertical side walls. The latter may be put to good use when fitting the seat guides, thus leaving the horizontal part of the floor, or bottom of the `channel` between the vertical walls, completely unobstructed.
In the majority of existing mounting and guiding devices, the rack or racks which position the seat longitudinally are not covered and the positioning slots of these racks consist of lateral notches cut in an edge of a metal sheet. The rack may also cause damage to clothing and articles placed under the seats, as well as personal injury.